An two-week US Stryker regiment exercise that saw NATO allies from the US and the Netherlands fight a mock battle with Estonian Scouts Battalion over tough winter terrain in Estonia came to an end last night.

Captain James Gibbs of the US Army said the exercise gave them a chance to test their troops and equipment in unfamiliar conditions, and added that his men and women, many of whom hail from Texas, got a great deal of new experiences and skills. Gibbs added that the US armaments and machinery worked well, the only slight concern was steering armored vehicles on slippery terrain.

The exercise culminated in the weekend with a mock battle, with the US troops and the Defense League's battle group protecting their positions from the attacks of the Scouts Battalion and the Dutch armored infantry brigade.

Earlier last week, one of the Estonian army's Sisu armored personnel carriers and a Dutch Boxer armored vehicle collided during an exercise. The Boxer's driver, a Dutch serviceman, was injured and taken to hospital.

This was the fifth time the Scouts Battalion was holding a winter combat exercise but was the first one attended by the US and Dutch forces. The likes of the CV9035 armored vehicles used by the Dutch unit will also soon be used by the Estonians.